


The Question Answered

by eternaleponine



Category: Hornblower (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-16
Updated: 2012-01-16
Packaged: 2017-10-29 16:33:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/321889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternaleponine/pseuds/eternaleponine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The follow-up to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/199912">The Laws of God and Man</a>, happening soon after, but not necessarily immediately following.  Archie and Horatio have their last night of shore leave together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Question Answered

"I don't want to go back to the ship," Archie said softly, his cheek resting against Horatio's shoulder as they lay together in the bed.

Horatio's arm tightened around him, drawing him closer. "Why not?" he asked. It was nice to have a little time away, but despite a rather rough adjustment period at the beginning (which had been significantly eased by Archie's presence) he couldn't imagine a life not at sea any longer.

"Everything will change," Archie replied. "It won't be like this."

Horatio opened his mouth, then closed it. He couldn't very well tell Archie that things would remain as they were, because of a certainty they would not. There was no privacy on ship; they would have little to no opportunity to be together without half a dozen able seamen looking on. "My heart will not change," he said finally. "Nor will yours, and we'll have to take comfort in that."

Archie nodded, but his expression remained troubled. Horatio knew his friend was prone to dark thoughts and anxiety, and he wasn't sure what he could do or say to allay it.

He traced his thumb along Archie's jaw, tipping up his face and kissing him tenderly. "Archie, you are the best part of my happiness, whether we can be close like this or not. I don't want you to ever forget or doubt that."

"I don't," Archie said, but he wasn't sure that the spoke the truth. It was still new, and there was a part of him that wondered if Horatio was only doing this because he felt that he had to, that he was somehow responsible for his friend's happiness and would do whatever it took to keep him happy, whether it was what he himself wanted or not.

"Then why are you frowning?" Horatio asked.

"You know you don't have to do this," Archie blurted. "I'll not... I'll not do anything foolish if you say that this isn't what you want. I won't run off, or avoid you. We can just go back to how we were and forget all of this nonsense."

"Nonsense? I hardly think it's nonsense. Is it really so difficult for you to believe that I might care for you as you do for me?" Horatio's eyes were dark and intense, fixed on Archie's.

"Yes," Archie whispered. "I'm not really used to having things go my way."

"Perhaps I'm your good luck charm, then," Horatio said. "I want you to have the happiness you deserve."

"But—"

"No. No buts, Archie. I would not do this if I didn't want to. You're going to have to trust me in this." Horatio shifted, turning to face him fully, their heads on the same pillow now, the tips of their noses nearly brushing. "I love you, Archie. I adore you, and all that I am is yours, if you want it. I don't know how to say it more plainly than that." And indeed, speaking so plainly brought up the color in his cheeks.

It was the sight of his friend blushing, as much as the words accompanying it, that drew Archie back out of the darkness that threatened him. He smiled and kissed Horatio's cheek. "All right," he said. "You've convinced me."

"Good," Horatio said. "I'd rather be able to enjoy our last night of freedom than spend it with a storm cloud."

"Plenty of time for that at sea," Archie said.

"Exactly. So let's take the time we have and make the most of it, shall we?"

Making the most of it ended up with both of them rather tipsy, and Horatio's pockets a bit heavier (and Archie's lighter) after a few rounds of cards. They tumbled back into bed after stripping down, a tangle of limbs and breathless laughter.

"There's the Archie I know," Horatio said, his lips finding the corner of his friend's when they turned up in a smile. "My ray of sunshine."

"Oh, don't turn into a sop," Archie teased, laughing. "I'd never taken you for the maudlin sort."

"Hardly maudlin," Horatio protested, shoving at him gently, not enough even to really budge him. He didn't want to send his friend toppling off the edge of the bed.

Archie shoved back, and they wrestled and laughed until there was a sharp rapping at the wall. They went still and had to press their faces into the pillows to muffle their giggling.

"That was your fault, sir," Archie said, although they were technically of equal rank.

"Sir? Is that how it's to be, Mister Kennedy?" Horatio dragged him closer, but stopped when Archie stiffened, loosening his grip and smoothing his hand along his spine. He didn't draw attention to it, just backed off until Archie relaxed again.

He didn't know what exactly caused Archie to react this way sometimes, but he could guess it went back to the abuse he'd suffered at Simpson's hands. He made a note to be careful about being too aggressive, even if it was meant in play.

Archie took a deep breath and let it out slowly, reminding himself that Horatio was _nothing_ like Simpson. He would not hurt him, nor demand anything that Archie did not willingly offer. He pressed closer to Horatio, his mouth finding the other man's, kissing him and tasting liquor on his tongue. "We must keep quiet," he whispered against his lips, "no matter what."

The startled look in Horatio's eyes as he tried to figure out what Archie might be thinking or implying drew a warm chuckle from his friend. "Don't worry," Archie teased. "I won't bite."

"I should hope not!" Horatio said. "I wouldn't care to have to try to explain _that_ if anyone saw."

"You wouldn't have to explain," Archie said. "You'd just have to take the ribbing for the tales the men concoct on their own."

"Perhaps I ought to let you, then. If they dream up some wild woman I've taken up with on shore, they'll not even consider the truth," Horatio said contemplatively.

Archie wasn't sure if Horatio was joking or not. "I think it's probably best to leave your hide unblemished," he said. "The less occasion for comment, the better."

"As you like," Horatio said, nuzzling against Archie's neck.

"I like you," Archie murmured, his fingers working the back of Horatio's shirt out of his breeches and then underneath to touch the soft skin at the small of his back.

"So I've gathered," Horatio breathed, his breath hissing slightly at the touch. Archie's hands were warm, his fingers callused but not too rough. After that neither of them said anything, because their lips and tongues were otherwise occupied. The only sounds were their breathing, the soft wetness of deep kissing, and the rustling of cloth as articles of clothing were shed and covers pulled over them.

Their bodies pressed closer still, until there was no mistaking that they were both male, and both quite... excited by the nearness. Horatio's hand strayed to Archie's hip, pulling him in until Archie put his leg over his friend's. They were hip to hip, rubbing against each other and swallowing each other's moans as they rose up, until it became too hard to breathe, and they were panting against each other's cheeks as they strained towards completion.

Horatio spilled first, with Archie not long after. They blinked at each other like they couldn't quite believe what they'd just done. Archie laughed softly, an awkward nervous sound, and Horatio blushed.

Without a word, Archie disentangled their limbs and got up to clean himself up. Horatio did the same, watching his friend out of the corner of his eye, not sure what he was meant to do now.

They turned to each other at the same time, and just stared for a moment. "Horatio, I'm so—" Archie began, but was cut off by Horatio's hands coming up to cup his face as he leaned down to kiss him.

"If you were about to say you're sorry, don't. What do you have to be sorry for?

"Nothing, I suppose," Archie said softly. "Not if you don't m-mind what just happened."

"Oh, Archie." Horatio pulled him into his arms. "You really do worry too much."


End file.
